BILLYBIO is a new project from Billy Grazaidei from Biohazard, Powerflo and Suicide City. Feed The Fire is the first material to be released from this new project, we get 3 tracks that come in at 9 minutes. First track, Feed The Fire is a great piece of mid-paced punk. It’s got a driving, aggressive feel to it, with a great, gang vocal chorus. Rise And Slay is slower, but with a tempo that feels unstoppable, like a runaway bulldozer. It has a great structure that is beautifully rhythmic. Final track Freedom's Never Free, is an absolute stormer. It’s pretty much hardcore, really fast, almost verging on thrash. There is a slower part in the last third of the song, but that quickly goes back to fast hardcore. Cracking track, and a great way to end the EP. Feed The Fire is a great Ep, well written and recorded, by an artist who clearly knows what he is doing. If you are a fan of any of Mr. Graziadei’s other work you should definitely check this out, fantastic fun! Oi, Oi, Oi! 8/10
Parasitic Twins: All That's Left To Do Now Is Sleep Together (Self Release)
First thing to mention about this EP is that it is only 6 minutes long. So, I’m going to attempt to review it in 6 minutes. Here Goes! All That's Left To Do Now Is Sleep Together is a three track Ep from Stockport based duo Parasitic Twins. Massive kicks thing off with some very aggressive lo-fi sludge, huge, slow crushing riffs with very guttural, nasty vocals. Next up is Flipswitch, which is slightly faster with a slightly softer middle section, but is still massively heavy. Last track End is more direct, the riffs feel slightly more rock like and to the point. All three tracks are enjoyable and I’d definitely like to hear more than 6 minutes from this band. 5 mins and 45 seconds, hot damn! I did it! 7/10
Invoker: Cursed To Feel (Self Released)
Firstly, I should point out that there are quite a few bands called Invoker, this one is from Switzerland and play a fairly modern take on hardcore, which could be classed as post hardcore. The band have released an album and 1 other EP before this release. First track Black And Blue opens with blisteringly fast and aggressive hardcore, the vocals are very aggressive and shouty. About halfway through the track the song slows down for a much heavier section that then goes into a part that I would class as post hardcore. The music is less aggressive with more nuance and a more relaxed feel. There is a lot of tremolo picking going on so it also has a little bit of a post black metal sense as well.
The next track Cursed has a simpler, punk feel to it, it’s a more direct song. The Novel has that aggressive hardcore opening that batters the listener, before going into a softer sounding post part. The juxtaposition of these 2 styles works so well, it gives the material a lot of depth. Next up is the shortest, most straight-forward song on the EP, Cease To Exist, it’s only a minute and a half long, and is a mid-paced piece of punk. Last song End Me has a soft simple opening, before going into the slower hardcore section, that then morphs into a soft post part that takes the song and the EP to a very pleasing ending. Cursed To Feel is a great EP, every time I listened to it I wanted it to be longer, which I think is the sign of a great EP! Highly recommended. 8/10
Under: Stop Being Naive (APF Records)
Under: Stop Being Naive (APF Records)
Under are a stockport based 3 piece, Stop Being Naive is the band's second album. The album opens with a blast of feedback, before going into a slow, lurching, achingly heavy riff. The tempo of the first track Malcontent, is very slow, and in many places off kilter, the vocals remind me of Conan, but seem to be multi tracked as well, emphasising the wailing, yowling quality. The Climb has a slightly more minimal sense to it, it’s restrained compared to the song that came before it. Traitors Gate is monumentally heavy, with really aggressive vocals, nasty vocals. This band do heavy and nasty with unnerving ease. The band have more strings to their collective bows than just heavy and nasty. They have an interesting alternative feel to some of the material. P. Irving has an early nineties feel that is very effective.
There are parts that sound a little Jane's Addiction, maybe with a little bit of the Pixies as well. This track is an interesting diversion after all the hugeness and heaviness. This alternative feel is on the last 2 tracks as well. An Inch Of Sun has a very soft opening, which even includes a piano part. The song is very alternative for the first half before getting incredibly heavy for the final couple of minutes. Final track Circadian Driftwood has a fairly strait alternative rock mood, it’s a really interesting way to end the album, as it is a bit different from most of the heavy material on the album. Stop Being Naive is a great album.
The band have taken sludge and doom, and made it as nasty as they can, but it is tempered by the more alternative material. This is an intensely creative band, the album has so many parts that I didn’t expect, but after a few listens these unexpected elements felt so natural. If you are into huge and heavy, and also like music that is experimental and interesting, then you have to give this a go. Great piece of work! 8/10
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